College hoops mailbag: POY race and who can beat Kentucky?

Each week, Marlen Garcia and Nicole Auerbach answer the questions that you've tweeted to us or e-mailed us. Please send questions for next week's mailbag to USAThoops@gmail.com.

Here's the latest edition of our weekly college hoops mailbag:

@Rich_Cain: What are chances that Draymond Green wins national POY?

Unfortunately, pretty slim. It's looking like a two-man race between Kentucky's Anthony Davis and Kansas' Thomas Robinson. But that's mostly because those are the guys everyone's been talking about all season (and voting deadlines differ for various awards).

Like Green, Michigan State has sort of flown under the radar. The Spartans weren't ranked to start the season and lost their first two games (to UNC and Duke, but two early losses kept buzz from generating). Now, they're at least guaranteed a share of the Big Ten regular season title and are possibly headed toward a 1-seed in the NCAA tourney.

But the buzz wasn't there all season, and it wasn't around Green either. That's why Davis and Robinson are the two names you hear thrown around for POY. They're the names you've been hearing for months. They've been leading the ESPN.com straw poll all season. So despite Green's incredible season and impressive numbers, there hasn't been enough noise to get him serious POY consideration. For the record, I'd vote 1. Davis, 2. Robinson, 3. Green for POY. – Nicole Auerbach

@IonaGuyF: With most saying bubble is "weaker" this year, does that open door for more mid-majors to get at-large bids?

We'll have to see. You'd think so, because teams with fewer marquee wins would have a better shot. But it will depend on how many bids big conferences get, and it'll depend on upsets in smaller conference tournaments. For example, if Murray State doesn't win the OVC, the Racers will still get an at-large bid. That takes away an available at-large spot. We will have a better idea of how many at-large spots there will be as we get closer to Selection Sunday. -- Nicole Auerbach

@commish82: do BCS schools realize danger in possible leaving behind little schools that make March Madness so great ?

Great question. My opinion, briefly: They don't think about the little schools as much as they do the branding of the tournament and its place in popular culture. It's a March tradition. Yet mid-majors and low-majors schools are vital in that. But it comes down to money and BCS schools ultimately will fall in line with whatever makes them the most money and perhaps gives them the most autonomy. – Marlen Garcia

Tim via email: What kind of team can beat Kentucky?

It would take a combination of things. To beat Kentucky, a team will need size and strength and can't be intimidated by Anthony Davis. Additionally, it needs to rebound well and must have a set of highly skilled players. Who does that leave? I'm thinking North Carolina, but the Tar Heels would have to be at their best, something we have rarely seen this season. Early this season, UNC lost by only a point in Lexington, had two fewer rebounds and held Kentucky to 23.5% shooting on three-pointers. That recipe almost worked for them. Here's the other way Kentucky could lose: It has a bad day, and with young players there is always a bit of doubt on whether they can hold up through an NCAA final (Remember Michigan's Fab Five? Yikes). – Marlen Garcia

@JefMaj: Will ND break its shooting slump? Cooley? Or has Big East taken its grueling toll?

Well, it's hard to say. These past two games haven't been pretty, but I don't believe Notre Dame's shooting is really as bad as it has been lately -- just as I'm not sure the Irish could beat Syracuse, Marquette and West Virginia twice if they played those four games again. Essentially, Notre Dame is somewhere in between what we've seen over the past two months. Cooley went cold vs. Georgetown (2 points), but he still scored 18 vs. St. John's, so I'm not sure if you can call it a slump yet.

I do believe that teams can be streaky, and it's a long season. I wouldn't worry too much just yet -- unless Notre Dame loses to Providence, too. -- Nicole Auerbach

@Dukeblogger: What's the highest seed you think UNC can get in the tourney?

At this point, UNC is a No. 2 seed and is weighed down by its 2-4 record against teams in the top 25 of the RPI (I get my numbers from CollegeRPI.com). Others vying for a No. 1 seed have four or five (Michigan State has six) wins against top-25 teams. That said, the Tar Heels are close.

But a lot can happen between now and Selection Sunday. UNC needs to beat Duke this weekend and win the ACC tournament to move up to No. 1. And it needs other potential No. 1 seeds, such as Kansas and Michigan State, to lose early in their league tourneys. – Marlen Garcia

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About Erick Smith

Erick Smith has managed USA TODAY's online college football coverage and picked
games on the web for the last 11 years. He's been a fan of the sport going back
to the days when the Big 12 and the BCS didn't exist and all the New Year's
Day games were actually played on New Year's Day. More
about Erick.

About Nicole Auerbach

Nicole Auerbach joined USA TODAY in the fall of 2011 to oversee online college
basketball coverage. She's a New Jersey native and a big fan of Big Ten football
and basketball. She firmly believes Madness need not be limited to just March.
More
about Nicole.